Its that Season again when Carol singers come to your door and most probably give a lusty rendition of ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’. And yet how many Bible owners realise that these words come from the Prophecy of Micah (Ch.5), who after promising that Bethlehem would be the birthplace of the Messiah, also foretold that he would be ‘great to the ends of the earth’(v.4) and that his people , the Jews, would be his mighty army. (vv5-9).

Sadly, although many own a Bible, few seem to know its full message. Take Jerusalem for example, which the Lord Jesus calls ‘the city of the Great King’ (Matthew 5:35), few believe that it has any value except as a pawn in a power struggle. And yet, God has promised that the great King will not be Abbas, or Netanyahu, but that soon, very soon, the Lord Jesus will return to claim his Kingdom and make the whole world accept his rule even though today’s events seem to put that event far away.

Abbas "Victory Speech": Jerusalem Eternal Capital of Palestine

On returning from the United Nations, where the PLO, had been upgraded to a nonmember observer state, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas promised that "One day, a young Palestinian will raise the Palestinian flag over Jerusalem, ....the eternal capital of the state of Palestine!"

The very next day

Fatah leader Abbas Zaki spoke on Palestinian Authority television about "the great goal," referring to the destruction of Israel. While impossible to achieve in one stroke , he stated that “it would be "great "if Israel were removed from existence," explaining that ,this is not "a [stated] policy" and "you can't say it to the world."

Sadly, it seems that you can say it to (most of) the world and they would applaud, as Israel becomes more and more isolated, even from her past friends.

A Few days earlier

A few days earlier Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu had said that the entire conflict between Israel and the Arabs is over their denial of Israel’s right to exist and not about Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. “What was the war about? The war was about our very existence. We left areas that we captured in the Six Day War, like the Gaza Strip, and they fire missiles at us.

“From 1967 until today, for 45 years, day in, day out, and hour by hour, they have been preaching the complete opposite. ..We must constantly repeat that the root of the conflict is the very existence of the State of Israel, the refusal to recognize the State of Israel in any borders whatsoever. ”

Israel, however, still has some friends left and Michele Marie Bachmann an American Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, is quoted as labelling the UN vote as "wildly inappropriate" and "shameful," stating that the UN had "rewarded Hamas with their first step toward statehood" and that "Israel's enemies are committed to the complete destruction of Israel and the Jewish people."

E1 The Last Straw—End of the Peace Process?

(E1 is a mostly empty area of 12 square kilometres (4.6 sq mi) near Ma'ale Adumim, though there are Bedouin inhabitants..the site of the Parable of the Good Samaritan..Wikipedia)

Nearly 20 years ago there were plans to build houses there, but U.S. presidents have regularly objected. Apparently in response to the UN decision, Israel has decided to start building and thus connect the E1 area to Jerusalem. It also plans to build 3,000 new units in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem.

Not surprisingly, then, the Palestinians appear to have grasped the opportunity to shelve even the appearance of compromise by claiming that this was the last straw. Abbas stated that the plan was "a red line that cannot be tolerated" and a "dangerous" decision.His Senior aide and former chief PA negotiator Saeb Erekat, declared that Israel's decision to build meant the "end of the peace process.""If Israel decides to start building in E1 and approves all the settlements in it, we consider it to be an Israeli decision to end the peace process and the two-state solution, which ends any chance of talking about peace in the future". Doubtless World opinion will take this statement without looking into the history of the attempted negotiations between Israel and the PA. Yet over the past four years Abbas has continuously refused to negotiate with Israel and has instead chosen to set preconditions for talks. In order to get Abbas back to the table Israel even froze construction on what were considered to be “disputed territories” for ten months, but all to no avail!

Even so, it would seem to be, a very provocative move on the part of the Israelis. Building in this area, according to the PA, would seal off access to the capital by Arabs in Judea and Samaria and prevent them achieving their immediate goal of including nearly a third of Jerusalem as the capital of their own planned-for state.

Let us cut them off from being a nation

The evident desire to be rid of Israel altogether by the Arab Nations around Israel is reminiscent of Psalm 83 which lists ten Arab nations that will be involved in opposition to Israel.

2 For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.

3 They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.

4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.

5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:

6 The tabernacles of Edom (Jordan), and the Ishmaelites (Arabs); of Moab(Jordan), and the Hagarenes (Arabs);

7 Gebal (Lebanon), and Ammon(Jordan), and Amalek(Jordan); the Philistines (Palestinians) with the inhabitants of Tyre (Palestinians);

8 Assur(Iraq) also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot (Moab and Ammon).

This Psalm will no doubt have its ultimate fulfilment at Armageddon but these particular Nations have regular joined in Arab and Muslim attacks on Israel, repeated over and over again since Israel became a nation in 1948 with the sole intention that Israel be cut off from being a nation.

The Palestinians not only want Jerusalem to be thier Capital city but all of the Holy Land with Israel being ‘driven into the sea’.

That’s what the Palestinians want, but what does the Bible say about what will really happen and what the God of all the earth intends for Jerusalem. The God, to whom Israel are His special people De 14:2 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people (particular treasure) unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth. So special that He ‘set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. (De 32:8)

God’s purpose with Jerusalem and the Jews

Jerusalem, David’s City is where He will put His Name forever.

2Ki 21:7 ..in the house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, ..... will I put my name for ever:

The Lord considers Jerusalem His dwelling.

Ps 135:21 Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.

Jerusalem is to be the Centre of World Religion

Isa 2:3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

The diverse Religions of the world, Orthodox Christianity, Muslim and all other ‘isms (there are considered to be 21 Major World Religions) will no longer be allowed to adversely influence mankind. After a horrendous earthquake makes the land around Jerusalem into a plain, with all existing buildings, temples, shrines etc., destroyed, a new Temple will be established on the Temple Mount.( Zechariah 14:10 & 16) and ...

Jer 3:17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.

No Ordinary City

Jerusalem is no ordinary City, even now it is sacred to three world religions, Judaism, Muslim and Christianity. The Jews and Palestinians each insist that it is their eternal capital, whereas the Christians want it as an International City. Plainly, the God Who rules over the Kingdoms of men intends to make it the City from which the Lord Jesus Christ will reign at his return and a ‘House of Prayer for all Nations’ (Isa 56:7; Mat 21:13) occupied by faithful Jews and, at that time, its name will be changed to ‘The LORD is there’ Jehovah-shammah (Ezek 48:3)

God’s Solution

Here is the LORD’s solution to the present long lasting controversy over Jerusalem.

Isaiah 2:2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Jerusalem is to be exalted above all Capital Cities, it will be a House of Prayer for all nations and the entire world be at peace. It is God, Who will solve the Middle East Problem by sending His Son back to set up his Kingdom on earth (Acts 1:6-11; Mt 25:31-46; Mark 13:24-27). The troubles the world is now experiencing are just a precursor to a ‘time of trouble such as there never was, which must come before he returns to save Israel and Jerusalem. This time is very near, now is the time to consider the Gospel, believe and be baptised, tomorrow may be too late!